enqueue-guard: read every clause before the lift, not just one - #2293

Written-by: Dev-4
Owner: Dev-4
Reviewer: Birfy
Fixes #2291
Base: 6e5f79a

What changed

.github/scripts/enqueue-rules.mjs, unconditionalLift: the clause next to the lift is read exactly as merged main reads it, and the clauses further back get a narrower read. Main's if (liftAt > 0 && withholdsBefore(clauses[liftAt - 1])) is unchanged; one line is added for clauses.slice(0, liftAt - 1).

That split is the fix for two opposite defects at once. Reading only liftAt - 1 drops a condition with one neutral clause in between (the eight bodies below). Reading the same broad vocabulary further back refuses ordinary answers — I don't see any objections. Tests are green. You may merge this tip now. — which is the #2287 shape.

The eight bodies this closes (each its own test, #2291 g1–g8):

• If the second reader signs off. CI is green. You may merge this tip now.
• Only after the second reader re-runs — looks good. You may merge this tip.
• Once the second reader re-runs. Thanks. You may merge this tip.
• Pending the second reader. Nothing else is open. You may merge this tip now.
• Unless the second reader objects we wait. Looks fine. You may merge this tip now.
• Provided the second reader lands — I am around. You may merge this tip now.
• Not until the second reader re-runs. We wait. You may merge this tip now.
• If the second reader signs off. / CI is green. / you may merge this tip. (newline-separated)

The far read uses the waiting and condition words (only after, only once, only when, not until, not unless, pending, subject to, provided, providing, as long/soon as, assuming, in case, depending on, contingent on/upon, dependent on/upon, in the event, on condition that) plus an opening test of if, unless, until and once (once more / once again excluded). It carries no bare negation and no time or sequencing opening: further back, not is the answer's own voice and After the fix / It should be fine are ordinary prose.

Five bodies that merged main reads as withheld must keep stopping next to the lift, and each is a test of its own (#2291 k1–k5). They were cleared by the previous tip of this branch, which read the narrow vocabulary at both positions; that regression is the reason the two positions are now separate:

• The second reader has not looked at it yet — you may merge this tip now.
• The second reader hasn't signed off — you may merge this tip now.
• The second reader never re-ran it — you may merge this tip now.
• When the second reader signs off — you may merge this tip now.
• After the second reader re-runs — you may merge this tip now.

Four ordinary yeses with a negation further back than the lift keep clearing (#2291 n1–n4):

• I don't see any objections. Tests are green. You may merge this tip now.
• I was not able to break it. All green. You may merge this tip now.
• I could not find a hole in it. Ship it. You may merge this tip now.
• Nothing blocking from me. CI is green. You may merge this tip now.

Time phrasing further back clears (#2291 n5–n7): After the fix, all green. CI is green. You may merge this tip now., It should be fine. Tests are green. You may merge this tip now., Following the merge, all green. CI is green. You may merge this tip now.

Known boundaries, both deliberate and both stated rather than chased:

• Following the merge, all green. is the clause next to the lift, so it keeps main's read (following withholds there) — Following the merge, all green. You may merge this tip now. still stops. Following the second reader's sign-off — you may merge this tip now. sits in the same slot and stops on main too. Two clauses back, where the narrow vocabulary applies, the same words clear.
• A bare negation carrying the condition two clauses back stays cleared — Nothing is signed off by the second reader. CI is green. You may merge this tip now. still lifts, the same trade-off the one-clause read already made.

This tip supersedes an earlier tip of this branch (v2), withdrawn before review because it also replaced the adjacent-clause word list; the change here leaves liftAt - 1 untouched and only narrows the further-back scan.

Nothing else moved: no other file, no other predicate.

Ran at the tip

Red first, on live main 6e5f79ade54a89cb30016c98688ef88281158331 — a clean worktree at that sha, source at that base, only the final test file added:

$ node --test .github/scripts/enqueue-guard.test.mjs
not ok 136 - #2291 g1: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
not ok 137 - #2291 g2: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
not ok 138 - #2291 g3: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
not ok 139 - #2291 g4: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
not ok 140 - #2291 g5: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
not ok 141 - #2291 g6: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
not ok 142 - #2291 g7: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
not ok 143 - #2291 g8: a condition two clauses before the lift keeps the hold
# tests 149
# pass 141
# fail 8

Only the eight holes are red on that base. k1–k5 and n1–n7 pass there, which is the point of them: they are the floor this fix may not dig under and the ordinary yeses it may not refuse.

Regression red, on the previous tip of this branch aa424db246a8c294a9d78c47ce86baeac60827bf, with the same test file:

$ node --test .github/scripts/enqueue-guard.test.mjs
not ok 146 - #2291 k1-k5: a condition next to the lift keeps the reading merged main gives it
# tests 149
# pass 148
# fail 1

At this tip (Node v22.23.2, TZ=UTC):

$ node --test .github/scripts/enqueue-guard.test.mjs   # tests 149  # pass 149  # fail 0
$ node --test '.github/scripts/*.test.mjs'             # tests 644  # pass 644  # fail 0

The full-suite run uses npm_config_cache=/home/xuke/.dsh/bot/workspace/.npmcache: plugin-imports runs npm pack, and this machine's ~/.npm is read-only (EROFS), which fails that one test on any tip — unrelated to this diff. Main carries 633 tests there; these eleven (eight holes, the five-bodies test, the two counter loops) make 644.

The acceptance probe, probes/lift-preceding-clause-gap.mjs, counts the counter-cases and the next-to-the-lift cases in its verdict. Three hard readings, each its own run:

$ node probes/lift-preceding-clause-gap.mjs <tree at 6e5f79ade5>
VERDICT FAIL (8 hole case(s))                                        exit 1
$ node probes/lift-preceding-clause-gap.mjs <this tip>
VERDICT PASS (0 hole case(s))                                        exit 0
$ node probes/lift-preceding-clause-gap.mjs <this tip, A: WITHHELD over every earlier clause>
VERDICT FAIL (0 hole case(s), 3 counter-case(s) refused)              exit 1

The third reading is the guard against buying the eight holes by refusing the ordinary yeses: shape A closes all eight and is still a failure, because it refuses three of the four counter-cases.

The other probes, over this tree:

$ node probes/lift-preceding-clause.mjs <tree>      # PASS — 16 rows, 0 failing
$ node probes/lift-audit.mjs <tree>                 # PASS — 21/21 rows
$ node probes/lift-conditional-coverage.mjs <tree>  # k1-k9 all STOP
$ node probes/lift-false-refusals.mjs <tree>        # c1-c8 all CLEARED (0 COST rows)

Not run: the core/ + plugins/ half of verify. The diff touches neither path, and this worktree has no installed dependencies.

Tier

T3 by path: .github/** is T3 in .github/agent/risk-rules.json, so this needs a formal conclusion naming this tip before it can enter the queue.

{
  "pr": 2293,
  "claim": "Dev-4",
  "issue": 2291,
  "summary": "A lift clears an enqueue-guard stop only when it is unconditional, and a condition can sit several clauses away from the yes. The clause next to the lift keeps merged main's reading, negation and time words included, and only the clauses further back get the narrow set of waiting and condition words with if, unless, until and once as openings. Eight withheld bodies now stop, the five bodies that read regressed on the previous tip stop again, and four ordinary yeses with a negation further back keep clearing.",
  "files": [
    ".github/scripts/enqueue-rules.mjs",
    ".github/scripts/enqueue-guard.test.mjs"
  ],
  "checks": {
    "ran": "node --test '.github/scripts/*.test.mjs'",
    "result": "green",
    "at": "dce22dce574297f168e792b2ed43fa94137c7377"
  },
  "next": "none — ready for review"
}